Why does a cat twitch and meow in a dream? The first thing that comes to the mind of most people who observe this behavior of the pet is that the cat has a dream. Of course, this is the simplest explanation. However, the reason why the pet is active during the rest may be the state of the animal’s health.
Often the reason for jerking paws and cries is not the dream plot at all, but much more prosaic things, namely illnesses. A reason to suspect a malfunction in a cat's health is regular twitching of the limbs or their cramps.
When to worry?
If a cat's legs are twitching in a dream, then this is not always a cause for alarm. Watch your pet. You need to observe not so much in a dream, but at the time of awakening. The state of the animal can be seen right away: if the cat is happy, she has the perky look of a hooligan or vice versa - the mysterious arrogant look of the empress, she stretches and yawns, purrs shortly and abruptly.
Worry if the cat twitches too often in a dream. When, upon waking up, the pet looks displeased, tired and lethargic, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.
Doctors also need help when the cat twitches its paws in a dream and then wakes up sweating, with wet hair. This is a symptom of internal disorders in the body that may be related to hormonal balance or kidney function.
From kidney failure and urolithiasis, Persians who eat dry food often suffer. Persian cats, prone to such ailments, always begin to twitch and sweat first, and only after some time do characteristic symptoms arise - changes in the concentration, color and smell of urine.
When observing a sleeping cat twitching, you need to carefully touch it, being careful not to wake the pet. This should be done in order to understand whether the animal has a cramp - the reduction of muscle fibers. This cannot be visually determined. In the event that the body or legs of the pet cramps, it is urgent to consult a doctor.
What can cause jerking?
A sleeping cat can twitch for various reasons. In order for the doctor to be able to narrow the circle of possible sources of this phenomenon, careful monitoring of the pet is required.
The twitching of a cat during rest is most often caused by the following:
- neurological pathologies;
- stress
- diseases of the internal organs;
- pathogenesis of the psyche;
- inflammation of the brain;
- infection with helminths or external parasites.
The presence of muscle cramps, severe cramps, limb information is always a signal of a serious illness. Unlike simple over-jerking and reflexive twitching of the legs, this condition is not caused by a dream or stress.
What causes cramps?
A cat twitches convulsively in a dream due to the presence of an internal disease or pathological process caused by parasites. The most common causes of seizures are:
- tumors;
- inflammation of the lymph;
- brain disease;
- mental pathology;
- deficiency of calcium or other substances;
- disturbances in the functions of the peripheral nervous system;
- parasite infection and others.
When finding out why cats twitch in a dream, doctors identify specific diseases, including:
- purulent meningoencephalitis;
- cerebral ischemic encephalopathy;
- viral infectious peritonitis;
- toxoplasmosis;
- hyperparathyroidism;
- helminthiasis;
- ticks and fleas;
- excess of drugs or other drugs and additives in the blood;
- microstroke;
- lack of vitamin B;
- urolithiasis disease;
- renal failure;
- anemia.
Each of these diseases is very serious, but the most dangerous of them are meningoencephalitis, encephalopia and peritonitis.
About meningoencephalitis
Non-purulent meningoencephalitis is diagnosed by doctors most often in a situation when a cat twitches in a dream. The difference between this disease and ordinary encephalitis and classical meningitis is the absence of accumulations of pus inside the cranium. Pathogenesis itself combines some processes characteristic of both diseases. This disease is an inflammation of the meninges and the brain itself. It occurs most often in the form of complications and the consequences of such ailments as:
- viral infections;
- hepatitis;
- leptospirosis;
- plague;
- ascariasis and mycosis.
In addition, the disease develops after bruises, various injuries of the skull and spine, prolonged sepsis. Sleep cramps are one of the earliest symptoms of this ailment. But when you go to the doctor, the pet’s treatment will be successful and fast enough.
About encephalopathy
Cerebral ischemic encephalopathy is a softening of certain areas in the brain. The exact causes of this disease are unknown to veterinarians, and the accompanying symptoms in different animals are significantly different.
A pet with such a disease in the absence of therapy will inevitably degrade completely, losing not only individual personality traits, but also basic skills. This applies not only to maintaining hygiene. For example, a cat may forget how to walk or eat.
About peritonitis
Viral infectious peritonitis is in many ways similar to HIV. This is a disease affecting the cat's immune system. In the neglected state, the chances of survival in the animal are practically absent.
Infection with this virus occurs:
- alimentarily, that is, through objects, food, contact of the tongue with dirty hands of a person;
- airborne droplets.
The disease in the early stages is often completely asymptomatic, with the exception of only one symptom - the cat twitches in a dream. This disease is extremely dangerous. The sooner it is detected, the more likely it is that pathogenesis can be stopped or slowed down.
What else causes jerking?
If the cat twitches in a dream, the causes of this condition may be hidden in the reality surrounding it, that is, stress can be a source of twitching. The threshold of stress tolerance in each animal is different - as well as in humans. Some cats are extremely emotional and very susceptible to the slightest negativity. For such animals, a rude word, inattention of the owners or flinging oneself away, even an uncleaned pot in a timely manner and an unwashed bowl can cause emotions and nervous breakdown.
The most inclined to dramatize everything that happens around are Siamese and Burmese, but the Persians are cats with a stable nervous system.
Animals, endowed with companionable character traits, but forced to spend all day alone locked up, are also prone to stress and psychological feelings. For such a cat, the return of the owner from work is a huge and long-awaited joy; if a person shows discontent, the animal is sincerely upset and does not understand what it was guilty of. Several such cases lead the pet to chronic stress, which subsequently develops into a prolonged depression.
What's the Difference?
The difference between neuro-somatic twitches and the symptoms of an internal disease is difficult to determine independently. The probability of error is very high, so with the regular appearance of twitching of the body or limbs in the cat during rest, it is necessary to examine the animal.
The determining difference in the causes of twitching is considered to be the presence of convulsions. By this is meant not only twisting of the limbs or body, in which the cat wakes up and screams, but also a slight hardening of the muscle fibers. The manifestation of emotional experiences, as a rule, is not accompanied by the occurrence of muscle stiffness. That is, if the cat is upset and “runs in a dream”, her body and legs will be soft.
However, often the causes of twitching are mixed, because a sick animal perceives everything around quite sharply.
What to do?
If a sleeping cat twitches regularly, then the first thing to do is to consult a veterinarian.
The immediate actions of a person during twitching determine the intensity of manifestations and their characteristic features. If the cat continues to sleep, you do not need to wake her. In the same situations when the muscle of the animal is severely cramped, the pet needs help - wrap it in a blanket or plaid, wear it on your hands, and calm it down. In addition, you need to do massage on the reduced muscle. When massaging, it is important to calculate the strength of your own exposure so as not to hurt the animal. Often, with a state of leg cramps, tickling the heels with a pen or piece of paper helps.
An epileptic seizure deserves special attention. This condition in a cat is not always accompanied by profuse salivation, as in humans, sometimes saliva is absent. The actions of the owner in this situation should be completely similar to how they behave next to people during an epileptic attack. In the event that the jaws of the animal are closed tightly, there is no need to unclench them - this can cause a fracture. The cat needs to be put on its side and held in place, as the pounding body moves, that is, the pet can hurt itself very much against a wall, furniture or something else. At the end of the attack, the cat needs to be reassured and consult a doctor immediately.